John Williams is currently scoring the upcoming drama The Book Thief. The film is directed by Brian Percival (Downton Abbey) and stars Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson and Sophie Nelisse. The movie based on Markus Zusack’s best-selling novel is set in Germany during World War II and follows a girl who finds solace from the horrors around her by stealing books and sharing them with others while her adoptive parents are sheltering a Jewish refugee under the stairs of her home. Michael Petroni (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Rite) has adapted the material for the screen. Karen Rosenfelt (The Twilight Saga, Marley & Me) and Ken Blancato are producing the Fox 2000 and Studio Babelsberg production. The Book Thief marks Williams’ first scoring assignment for another director than Steven Spielberg since 2005. The composer had been in talks to score the project since last year before the movie started shooting. The film is set to be released on November 15, 2013 by 20th Century Fox.

Wow. Great news! John Williams is a brilliant composer. I had the honor of being there in the Berkshires with two fellow NBC colleagues when Williams composed the opening theme to NBC Nightly News. He fiddled with the piano until it was just right, and we gave him a two thumbs up. Da-Da-Da-Da-Da-Da-Da-Da-Da. It’s so intuitive for him. Genius. I look forward to hearing this as his music is so incredibly powerful and memorable.